In this episode of Relative Return Insider, host Keith Ford and AMP chief economist Shane Oliver take a look at the unfolding impacts and potential economic ramifications of the US government shutdown and the surge in gold and bitcoin prices. Alongside the growing concerns with the stability of the US, the massive valuations for the Magnificent Seven tech stocks is fuelling speculation that it's becoming a bubble, though Oliver cautions that there are a range of factors that differentiate the current state of play from previous bubbles, such as the dotcom boom.

They also explore:

• The fallout of threats to withhold back pay for workers caught up in the US shutdown.
• Why there have been record-breaking prices for bitcoin and gold, considering both fundamental drivers and speculative elements.
• US support for Argentina, European geopolitical tensions, and concerns about long-term US economic policies under the Trump administration.